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Droid
Droids (sometimes also 'droids, short for androids), were robots: mechanical beings, often possessing artificial intelligence. They were used in a variety of roles and environments, often those considered too menial or too dangerous for Humans and other species. Droids were also used in fields that required extensive specialization and knowledge, such as medical droids and astromech droids. Depending on the model and its corresponding purpose, droids were totally obedient, rugged, expendable, capable of vast memory recall, and mathematically precise. These characteristics made them well suited for many jobs, though the lack of independent thought in the cheaper, less advanced models limited their capability. This lack of autonomy was simultaneously a vast asset and a glaring weakness=;an asset in terms of obedience and control but a massive drawback in terms of effectiveness. Designers faced a fundamental paradox;make the droids overly intelligent, and they might rebel; yet make the droids not intelligent enough and they would be ineffectual. Droid names were an arrangement of numbers and letters. Definition of droid The words droid and robot are generally taken to mean the same thing. However, the official definition of a droid is "a complex mechanism with a self-aware consciousness system, as distinguished from a computer by having a capability of self motions." Degrees of droids Droids were divided into five basic "degrees," based upon creativity, intelligence, and capacity for independent thought. * First-degree: Droids capable of creative, complicated thought. Droids in this category were typically used in physical, mathematical, and medical science fields; though some extremely advanced assassin droids could also be placed here. Most one-of-a-kind prototypes or rogue machines could be classified as first-degree droids. * Second-degree: Droids used in engineering and technical fields, such as astromech droids or utility droids. Probe droids and other scouts fit in this category, as well as pilot droids. * Third-degree: Social, diplomatic, or tutoring interaction droids, such as language protocol droids. * Fourth-degree: Security or military droids. They were often capable of harming sentient, and so were strictly regulated. * Fifth-degree: Menial labor droids programmed to perform non-intelligent tasks such as salvage, mining and sanitation. Droid types Droids were categorized by function, though the lines between categories were often blurred. Many droids, such as members of the BK 700 FU series, served a variety of roles and purposes, making classification difficult. Other droids, especially those who were "one-of-a-kind," had unique capabilities and changing characteristics that made classification impossible. Some droids changed functions as they changed owners, sometimes many times throughout their operational life. These limitations notwithstanding, droids were grouped according to their primary factory-installed functionality. Some types of droid: *Assassin : These droids were used to kill specific targets, often those too well guarded for approach by conventional means. Typically deployed by bounty hunters, assassin droids were often tasked with suicide missions—missions with almost zero probability for successful escape. *Astromech : Droids used for interstellar starships, astromech droids, were mobile multi-role droids capable of hyperspace navigation, systems monitoring/control, damage repair, and data storage. These droids had extensive databases of stellar systems and hyper spatial coordinates, which were necessary for faster-than-light travel. *Battle : These Droids were used most commonly in combat-related roles, where they offered a plethora of advantages over organic units. Droids could carry heavy weaponry and shielding, move rapidly without tiring, analyze targeting and trajectory calculations instantly, and protect crucial systems by burying them deep inside the frame of the droid *Interrogation : Another prime use of droids was to question prisoners, and if deemed necessary also as instruments of torture. The use of droid interrogators as opposed to Humans made sense in a number of ways: impersonal machines often increased the subject's fear, making him more likely to be cooperative. *Medical : Droids were also used in the field of medical science. They offered advantages over Humans in that they could be programmed with a massive amounts of information, none of which would be forgotten, making them extremely cost-effective. *Pilot : Droids were also used in piloting roles, both directly and indirectly. Category:Canopus